ISFP Personality (“The Adventurer”)

I change during the course of a day. I wake and I’m one person, and when I go to sleep I know for certain I’m somebody else.

Bob Dylan

ISFP personality types are true artists, but not necessarily in the typical sense where they’re out painting happy little trees. Often enough though, they are perfectly capable of this. Rather, it’s that they use aesthetics, design and even their choices and actions to push the limits of social convention. ISFPs enjoy upsetting traditional expectations with experiments in beauty and behavior – chances are, they’ve expressed more than once the phrase "Don’t box me in!"

Happy to Be Who They Are

ISFPs live in a colorful, sensual world, inspired by connections with people and ideas. ISFP personalities take joy in reinterpreting these connections, reinventing and experimenting with both themselves and new perspectives. No other type explores and experiments in this way more. This creates a sense of spontaneity, making ISFPs seem unpredictable, even to their close friends and loved ones.

Despite all this, ISFPs are definitely Introverts (I), surprising their friends further when they step out of the spotlight to be by themselves to recharge. Just because they are alone though, doesn’t mean people with the ISFP personality type sit idle – they take this time for introspection, assessing their principles. Rather than dwelling on the past or the future, ISFPs think about who they are. They return from their cloister, transformed.

ISFPs live to find ways to push their passions. Riskier behaviors like gambling and extreme sports are more common with this personality type than with others. Fortunately their attunement to the moment and their environment allows them to do better than most. ISFPs also enjoy connecting with others, and have a certain irresistible charm.

ISFPs always know just the compliment to soften a heart that’s getting ready to call their risks irresponsible or reckless.

However, if a criticism does get through, it can end poorly. Some ISFPs can handle kindly phrased commentary, valuing it as another perspective to help push their passions in new directions. But if the comments are more biting and less mature, ISFP personalities can lose their tempers in spectacular fashion.

ISFPs are sensitive to others’ feelings and value harmony. When faced with criticism, it can be a challenge for people with this type to step away from the moment long enough to not get caught up in the heat of the moment. But living in the moment goes both ways, and once the heightened emotions of an argument cool, ISFPs can usually call the past the past and move on as though it never occurred.

Meaning Is in Every Expression of Life

The biggest challenge facing ISFPs is planning for the future. Finding constructive ideals to base their goals on and working out goals that create positive principles is no small task. Unlike Sentinel types, ISFPs don’t plan their futures in terms of assets and retirement. Rather, they plan actions and behaviors as contributions to a sense of identity, building a portfolio of experiences, not stocks.

If these goals and principles are noble, ISFPs can act with amazing charity and selflessness – but it can also happen that people with the ISFP personality type establish a more self-centered identity, acting with selfishness, manipulation and egoism. It’s important for ISFPs to remember to actively become the person they want to be. Developing and maintaining a new habit may not come naturally, but taking the time each day to understand their motivations allows ISFPs to use their strengths to pursue whatever they’ve come to love.

It seems to somewhat fit me. The problem is that there's too much repression in this world for me to be a freedom-lover. Hopefully I can get around that.

andrea

4 years ago

I agree with many of the above comments in regard to the school thing...i am extremely intelligent and had stacks of honors and awards in school. I rebelled against the structured environment though, never went, never studied,didn't want to be in class at all because I was annoyed by the other students and how they struggled with learning things.i was not challenged in the least by the school system and wanted no part of it. I learn about what I am interested in on my own.

Alex

4 years ago

I'm mostly ISFP definitely, I don't do things that are risky though I mean I hate pain XP, but I'm not the most artistic person ever I write instead drawing takes so much time and practice my mind wonders and boom I've lost my interest. I believe my personality may have taken a hit though, recently I've had a lot of anxiety over certain issues and now I've kinda lost my spontaneous side, instead I've become a bit robotic, I obviously still feel things all my emotions are there but I just kinda make decisions not based on emotion any more. Sometimes I'll get that impulsive side popping in with my feeling something towards it like when I decide to write sometimes I get all "YAY" and start writing so I know I'm still ISFP somewhere.
I'm just wondering whether or not over time my personality will emerge again? Hopefully it will do I mean.... oooooooooo a butterfly.

Nolan

4 years ago

Writing is still artistic. I draw though, I've tried writing but like you said with drawing, "it takes so much time and I lose interest."

monalisa

4 years ago

This was so spot on! Its the the only site that has explained to me why I can be personable to people but get quite irritated if I'm not left alone after a while. I just put it down to me being a moody twit. I can be quite studious, I am way too lazy to apply myself into taking photography and videography seriously which is something I beat myself up for, but I really do love art. Lastly, a reason why I like keeping away from people after a while is feeling controlled by their emotions, I can't not consider them, often to my detriment.

Alaina

4 years ago

"...a reason why I like keeping away from people after a while is feeling controlled by their emotions, I can’t not consider them, often to my detriment."
I can honestly say that I rarely (if ever) comment on people's responses BUT, your statement about yourself so perfectly summarized the way I feel after being around people for long periods of time, which is why although I do enjoy being around people...I can only do so for limited amounts of time, before I want to go and retreat and be a hermit for a while. Depending on the person or circumstance the amount of time I can tolerate being social varies..while I am always influenced by the moods and emotions of other people to some extent; there are some individuals that are like "soul s...." to me. These people can consume my every sense and emotion almost instantaneously! When I leave my self exposed to these people too long it will get to the point of extreme stress and exhaustion for me....
Long story short it was interesting to hear that someone else experiences this and could summarize it in one sentence so well !

John Gronau

5 years ago

Donald Trump? Sensitive to others' feelings? Try ESTP or ESTJ. He's a boss and often a tyrant.